Automotive manufacturers cushion certain vehicle interior components, such as the seat belt anchors, near that portion of the vehicle where an occupant""s head might impact the seat belt components.
Examples of prior art illustrating approaches to this problem, include U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,164 issued Oct. 13, 1998 to Rasik Patel and Francis Joseph Wickenheiser for xe2x80x9cEnergy Absorbing Seat Belt Component Fastenerxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,012 issued Aug. 22, 2000 to Herbert Boegge et al. for xe2x80x9cDeflection Fitting for Seat Belts of Vehiclesxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,567 issued Aug. 24, 1999 to Francis J. Wickenheiser for xe2x80x9cHead Impact Protection for an Automobile Seat Belt Anchor Fastenerxe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,344 issued Jun. 25, 1996 to Shinichi Yasui et al. for xe2x80x9cSeat Belt Device for Automobilexe2x80x9d.
The broad purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved seat belt anchoring device for reducing head injuries in a vehicle. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the seat belt anchoring device comprises an elongated vehicle rail having a belt anchoring ring mounted in a slot. The position of the ring can be vertically adjusted to accommodate the tautness of the belt for the passenger.
The rail is mounted on a pair of vertically spaced bolts attached to a body pillar. The length of the bolts is such that the rail can be moved from its normal operating position toward the body pillar. Shock-absorbing (cushioning) elements are mounted on the rail and the bolts. One form of shock absorbing element encloses each bolt connecting the rail to the body pillar. An object suddenly moving toward the bolt encounters the vehicle trim, then crushes or deforms the shock-absorbing element to absorb part of the energy of the moving object. A second shock-absorbing element is mounted between the rail and the body pillar to accommodate a continued motion of the moving object toward the body pillar. The rail moves toward the body pillar crushing walls of both shock-absorbing elements, thereby absorbing further energy.
This arrangement also accommodates a condition in which the moving object does not impact the bolt but instead moves directly toward the seat belt rail or ring. In this condition, the rail, in response to the impact, moves toward the body pillar crushing walls of both shock-absorbing elements.
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description.